


I'm Glad It Was You

by weareallstoriesintheend_3



Category: Star Wars, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Movie: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Soft Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:21:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29766492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weareallstoriesintheend_3/pseuds/weareallstoriesintheend_3
Summary: Prompt/Summary:  The day that you take up the life long job of being a reaper. Your first task?Collect the soul of your best friend...(Happens during The Rise of Skywalker - This is bending the rules of death in Star Wars mildly but I liked the prompt too much and this is what came to mind so MAYBE counts as AU, I guess, but not really)Adaptation of a prompt from @here-haveaprompt on TumblrWarnings: None
Kudos: 1





	I'm Glad It Was You

You watched closely, the shadows hiding you out of sight. She leant over his body as it falls lifelessly to the ground, your own heart felt like it crumpled in your chest as his eyes closed. Her hands caressed the fabric of his dark ragged jumper; you could see the tears glint on her furrowed face. There was so much between them; you could feel their connection, the force, pulsing even after his heart stopped.

You knew she wouldn’t stay long. She unsteadily dragged herself to her feet and you watched as she wandered, almost in a trance, back the way she had come. Back towards her ship that would take her from desolate Exegol and home to warmth and liberty. Once Rey was out of sight that’s when you stepped forward, light casting over you and that’s when you saw him. He looked afraid and your heart clenched.

“Ben?” He whipped his head towards you, dark hair sticking to his face that was still glistening with sweat, tears and blood. The muscles in his face relaxed almost to a picture of calm as he spoke “You?” “Hey Solo” you smiled, stepping towards him gingerly. Your feet still make traction on the ground despite the fact you weren’t really here. “Why are you– how are you here?” he asked, looking around before looking to his feet. His own body laying at his feet; he took an abrupt step back to take it all in. His face was wracked with fear once again. “I bet that feels weird” a chuckle escaped your lips in an attempt to alleviate the immense turmoil you could feel rolling off him. “You’re –“ “Dead” finishing your sentence with a gentle crack to his voice, his eyes lifted. You nodded; you burned with empathy for your old friend. He’d been so lost inside his own head for so long that, despite the pain, this almost looked like freedom.

“Why are you here?” He stepped over himself and walked towards you on shaky legs. Your hands reached out and you grasped his forearms as he got to you. He felt solid, which you hadn’t been expecting, and his face was even more handsome than you remember. His curious eyes searched your face.

“My friend, I’m here for you” you traced circles on his arms with your fingertips, desperate to bring him comfort. His eyebrows pulled down and you stuttered “I-this is me now. After what happened at the temple” you paused as you felt guilt rupture within him “I didn’t feel like I could be a Jedi anymore, things happened which we need not talk about now and I ended up a reaper” His face was horrified “You’re dead?” You laughed and reached up to soothe the lines from his face with your fingers. “Yes, I have been for a long time. But I found a purpose and they’ve been keeping me on ice until…now” His face was a flurry of pain, fear and guilt. You ran the pad of your thumb over his cheek; even though you could not see them now you could feel the memory of the deep scars that once lined it. “Let it go Ben”

“I could have done so much more” he whispered. Those eyes had always been so expressive, even when he was young, and his full lips quivered. “What do I do now?” Your breath stuttered, in fear that you would cry, you stilled yourself before taking his hands “You let it go, put the past behind you. Everything you have done, what has happened, you can’t change but you can be at peace” “How?” he voice rose suddenly and you flinched. His rage was always so full and harsh; you felt it flood every fibre of his being. He dropped to his knees and pulled you down so you crouched over him. You clutched his hands tightly, the size of them in his akin to a childs. “By realising that you, Ben Solo, did not fail”

You studied him as he relaxed once more, his expression almost pleading at he looked up at you. All of sudden you were looking into the face of a boy, the boy that you knew all those years ago before his heart was turned and his world became dark. Lost, terrified and craving guidance. “You did not fail. I cannot imagine the pain you have been through, what you have suffered and what you have lost. But I’m here now – let me help you find yourself again. Without Snoke, without your parents, without Master Luke – just you”

Tears rolled heavily down his face and you brushed them away “They loved you, you know” you didn’t need to expand on that sentence as he nodded softly. “So did she” You gestured to the direction Rey had walked. You watched him follow your gesture with a longing look. Laughing you grabbed his shoulders “A Dyad huh?” raising an eyebrow you continued “So that’s why I could never get you to have a crush on me, you were always waiting for her”

Light sprung forth and Ben Solo laughed. His dimples deep and that crooked smile broke across his face. Now your own tears fell remembering the days at the temple – the endless lessons come rain, snow or blinding sun, Luke’s watchful eye and his vailed infuriating metaphors of the force. His incessant need for us to learn this by-

“- making the rocks float” he chuckled finishing your thought. “Get of my head Solo” you chastised him with a slap to the chest. “We’re running out of time, you need to come with me” You rose to your feet stepping back; he followed your movement with his eyes but didn’t follow you. Confidently you held your hand out and waited. Years of confusion dropped from his body, his shoulders lowering down from their anxious place around his ears and he too rose to his feet. You took in his wide, strong body as he stood before you; no longer cloaked by thick robes or hiding his face with a mask. Now, despite his severe and intimidating frame, he was soft and free. Biting your lip to hide your giggle at the memory of the skinny, gawky kid he used to be. Mid-thought you felt him tangle his fingers with yours.

“I’m glad it was you”


End file.
